Agius crowned European Moto2 Champ at FIM JuniorGP finale

2023 FIM JuniorGP World Championship
Round Seven – Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia

The Finetwork FIM JuniorGP World Championship has wrapped up at Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia over the weekend.

The Moto2 European Championship saw Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact Junior GP Team) sign off in style with victory from P17 on the grid, while European Talent Cup honours went to Guido Pini (AC Racing Team), although it was Maximo Quiles (Aspar Junior Team) who clinched the crown.

A new winner in the JuniorGP class was Adrian Cruces (Finetwork Mir Racing Team) who won the opening bout, while the second contest went to Joel Esteban (Aspar Junior Team) after late-race drama.

Stock European Championship competition ended the day with David Muñoz (SP57 Racing Team) taking a fifth win of 2023, extending that dominant form.

FIM JuniorGP World Championship Race One

JuniorGP action fired up in Race 1 to start the day and it was a battle from the start. Adrian Cruces led for the majority of the race but was always under attack from Luca Lunetta (AC Racing Team), Alvaro Carpe (STV Laglisse Racing) and Angel Piqueras (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0), with Carpe and Piqueras coming through from the third row.

However, resisting a final corner attack from the #83 of Carpe, Cruces held on to take a career-first win in the class, whilst Piqueras snatched third. A mistake from Lunetta on the final lap left him P5, behind polesitter Xabi Zurutuza (MTA Junior Team).

Top Aussie was Jacob Roulstone in ninth, just under 1.5s off winning pace, with the top-10 covered by 1.616-seconds.

Angus Grenfell meanwhile finished in 17th. New Zealand’s Cormac Buchanan a DNF.

FIM JuniorGP World Championship Race One Results

FIM JuniorGP World Championship Race Two

Race 2 was an epic fight and while Cruces tried to implement a fast pace like in Race 1, it couldn’t be replicated to the same level as the battle intensified.

Jacob Roulstone (Aspar Junior Team) was his main rival this time, although the Australian was soon bundled out the way by the likes of Lunetta, Piqueras and Carpe – Carpe and Lunetta both in the battle for second overall in the standings.

RelatedPosts

Difficult weekend for Aussie youngsters at Catalunya FIM JuniorGP

May 21, 2024

Archie McDonald racing in Europe and ASBK in 2024

February 18, 2024

Joel Esteban was also in contention in the final stages and despite being close, he couldn’t make a pass in the last sector on the last lap. Cruces crossed the line first ahead of Esteban and Lunetta, but the #11 was forced to drop one place for exceeding track limits on the last lap, giving the #7 of Esteban a second win of 2023.

Lunetta’s third place meant he secured runner-up spot in the Championship, which was one by Piqueras at Aragon.

Jacob Roulstone improved to sixth in the second running, just 0.450-seconds off the leader, settling for seventh i nthe final standings.

Cormac Buchanan finished 20th for the round, and 14th for the season, Angus Grenfell a DNF.

Angus Grenfell

“The last race weekend of the @juniorgp season is complete! Despite very limited track time due to weather conditions, it was definitely the best I have ridden all season. It was a bitter sweet ending with a crash in the second race with three laps to go, but that’s racing. Race 1 – P17, Race 2 – NC. I cannot express how grateful I am to @artbox.team for all their work this season. Thank you.”

FIM JuniorGP World Championship Race Two Results

FIM JuniorGP World Championship Points

Moto2 European Championship Race

The title had already been secured by Senna Agius at Aragon but he faced a different challenge in the final Moto2 ECh race of 2023.

A penalty after qualifying meant that his original pole position had turned into a P17 grid start. Inside the top ten by the end of the opening lap, Agius powered himself into contention whilst Alberto Surra (Team Ciatti-Boscoscuro grabbed the early advantage.

Agius was soon ahead of his rivals, with Roberto Garcia (Cardoso-Fantic Racing), Unai Orradre (STV Laglisse Racing) and Yeray Ruiz (FAU55 Tey Racing) all being dismissed by the charging #81.

The Australian then made short work of closing down a 2.6s gap up to Surra but despite catching the Italian, it took three attempts at Turn 4 to make the move stick.

However, once he made it work, Agius eased to a tenth career win and an eighth of 2023, becoming just the third rider to win ten races in the class.

Senna Agius

“It was a strange race. I felt like I did at the Grand Prix I did this year. It was a big challenge to start from the back of the grid. I found out about the penalty just before dinner. It was a big shock after I had taken pole position two hours earlier. But when I woke up this morning, I knew that all was not lost. The conditions also got better and better, so we were able to go faster. In the end, I was able to set the pace from the second qualifying session and that made me very competitive for most of the race. After a strong first lap, I stayed calm. Only from lap four to about ten was I a bit slower than I wanted to be.”

“I caught Alberto Surra in the last third of the race and, as in Aragón, we had another great battle. Today’s victory is the crowning glory of a great season. We have done a great job all year round. So, a big thank you to the LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team for letting me be a part of it and also for the incredible work we have done together. I am proud of that. I am now looking forward to moving up to the Moto2 World Championship with this title in the bag after this season and the progress I did over the year. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my family back home in Australia, my coaches, my manager Leon Camier and everyone who believes in me. I am very grateful to them all. Today was a great way to end the 2023 season.”

It was a disappointing result to cap off the season for Harrison Voight, with a DNF, ending the season 18th.

Surra was a strong second whilst Orradre clinched third. Agius finished 67 points clear of Xavier Cardelus (Promoracing) in the end with Surra third.

Moto2 European Championship Race Results

Moto2 European Championship Points

European Talent Cup Race

The only title on the line coming into the final round of 2023 was that of the ETC, with Maximo Quiles vs Brian Uriarte (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) being the rivalry.

The race ignited with the #28 Quiles going all out from the start before a group of seven was formed, with Uriarte and teammate Rico Salmela part of it.

Jesus Rios (MRE Talent) was a polesitter for the first time and swapped paint with Quiles before big drama occurred behind. At Turn 2 towards mid-race, Salmela tried to pass Uriarte but in doing so, ran wide; as he cut back, Uriarte was already under him and the two collided and crashed, ending the #51’s title hopes in a teammate clash.

Quiles was now Champion whatever happened but he still fought hard against Pini, Valentin Perrone (Frando VHC Racing Team) and Rios. On the final lap, Pini rode to perfection for a last win with the #1 plate.

Perrone took a first podium – also a first for Argentina in the class – whilst Rios was third with a third straight podium. Quiles in P4 became the first double ETC Champion; Pini finished second overall, leapfrogging Uriarte.

Marianos Nikolis finished the season with a 22nd place finish.

European Talent Cup Race Results

European Talent Cup Points

Stock European Championship Race

The last Stock ECh event of the year was an intriguing one; Daniel Muñoz was already crowned Champion but wanted to finish strongly, with Eric Fernandez (FAU55 Tey Racing) likewise aiming to sign off his 2023 season as number one in race terms.

Both battled throughout the 18 laps, with Fernandez even slowing the pace right down, as both engaged in a game of strategy. After a lap of cruising around with a 13-second advantage, Muñoz pulled the pin and eased away to win by eight seconds ahead of his main title rival.

Third place had seemingly gone to Archie McDonald (MRE Talent) but for exceeding track limits throughout the race, he was handed a three second penalty which left him in P7, denying him a first podium, and dropping his season result from fourth to fifth.

Archie McDonald

“After my first full season, it looked like I’d finally secured my first podium, crossing the line in third at the final round of the 2023 Finetwork FIM JuniorGP Stock Championship, held at Valencia. It was a five-way fight for third, and I’d come back through the field after a poor start to secure a PB in the closing stages, worked my way into the front of the pack, only to find out, as I rolled up to parc fermé, I’d received a three-second penalty for track limits warning. I rode my heart out, I gave it my all. But the penalty dropped me back from third to seventh in the race, and fourth to fifth in the final championship standings by one-point. Disappointing I know, but the reality is I’m so happy with how much I learnt in that race, how hard I rode. I want to thank the Mre Talent for an amazing rookie year, providing me a great bike and all the support. Now it’s time to head back to Australia and get ready for the final round of the ASBK – Australian Superbikes at The Bend Motorsport Park on the 600, before making my debut Superbike ride at the St George Motorcycle Club Summer Series. What an amazing year. And I have to thank Dad for making it all possible. Bring on 2024!”

Taking profit, Marco Garcia (Easyrace Team) was third, with the top three in the race being reflected in the same order in the final standings of 2023.

Declan Van Rosmalen was 14th.

Stock European Race Results

Stock European Championship Points

JuniorGP Calendar 2023

1. 06/07 May: Circuito do Estoril (Estoril, Portugal)
2. 20/21 May: Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana (Valencia, Spain)
3. 03/04 June: Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto (Jerez de la Frontera, Spain)
4. 01/02 July: Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (Portimao, Portugal)
5. 15/16 July: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (Montmeló, Spain)
6. 07/08 October: MotorLand Aragón (Alcaniz, Spain)
7. 04/05 November: Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana (Valencia, Spain)